


Without You

by PoisonBasil



Series: Temperance's Temptations [10]
Category: DCU
Genre: F/M, Female Tim Drake, Temperance Drake, Tim Drake aka Temperance Drake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-03 16:07:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13999725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonBasil/pseuds/PoisonBasil
Summary: Dick doesn't know how to cope without Temperance.





	1. When Everything Hurts

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prompt from the lovely MaldicionDeLuna - to write about Temperance's Death and how Dick will deal with it :3

_No, no, no, no_ … Dick ran fast across the buildings firing off his grapple to gain momentum, every second counted here. His breath was harsh against the wind, his chest heaving has he leapt and swung. His mind was blank with panic, the voices in his ear drowned out by the rushing wind. Why am I always too far away.

Dick knew that Bruce was right behind him, just as frantic as he was, probably berating himself over putting another robin (now Red Robin) in danger. Dick couldn’t bring himself to feel sorry for him at the moment though, not with all the different scenarios running through his mind. Dick felt his heart clench at the thought of Temperance being all alone right now, she had turned off her comm after her final message to them. It keeps running through his mind, her calm voice as she explains that she’s ordered the drone attack to target her rather than others, making her the soul casualty of the drone fleet.

Dick’s eyes start to sting, he knows it’s hopeless, but he has to try, for her, for him, for them. Dick shoots off his grapple again and before checking if it’s caught properly he jumps from the ledge, there is a sudden shout from behind him and suddenly he is crashed into by Batman, quickly he grabs on, taking in the mass of muscle and comforting smell of Kevlar. “Nightwing, are you alright?” Bruce's deep voice breaks through Dick’s thoughts, making him look up into B’s face.

Dick, opened and closed his mouth a couple times before his mouth turned down at the corners and he clung to Bruce’s suit more tightly, his gauntlets digging into the cape. “I know son,” Bruce’s voice carries over the wind, “But we have to do everything we can to help her right now and that means getting to her as fast and as carefully we can. I won’t lose two of you tonight because of a mistake and I am going to try my hardest not to lose any of you. I need you to be careful Nightwing, I cannot be looking out for you as well, we don’t have the time.” Dick nods his head in agreement. He has to save her, if he fails her here, he doesn’t know what he’ll do.

As they landed on the next building Dick looked up and saw the swarm of drones heading to the building Red Robin was located. There was nothing they could do, they weren’t going to make it in time. Dicks boots pounded the asphalt as he made a desperate dash, Batman right beside him. Not again, not another Robin!

Dick had made it to the site intime to see the drones deactivate. Stopped in his tracks he dropped to the floor, there was no sign of Red anywhere. Dick felt his insides sease, he didn’t know what to do, he wrapped his arms around himself and began to shake. Muscles in Dick’s back, arms and legs rippled with tension his head hung low. His grip tightened oh his forearms, gauntlets digging into his suit. All around him was silence, his mind blank as he fought to keep going, hoping to somehow find Red safe and sound.

Suddenly there was hand on his shoulder forcing Dick to turn, his body shuddering as he looked up, staring blankly at the person in front of him, it didn’t matter it wasn’t Temperance,  _Wherewasshe_ … Dick began breathing harshly, raising his hands to palm at his eyes. He could hear muffled sounds coming from the person next to him, they were rushed and heated, but he couldn’t understand them. Dick’s hands were pried away from his face, his vision was watery being his domino - he could see the shapes of lips moving and could hear words being said, but still couldn’t understand them.

Dick was suddenly engulfed by a large warm embrace, hints of smoke and gun powder wafting over him, Jason… Dick couldn’t take it anymore and let  a scream rip free of his throat, he dug his gauntlets into the soft leather of Jason’s jacket, choked sobs escaping him now, his face pressed in Jason’s chest, as he felt Jason’s hands running up and down his back as though he was trying to force calming thoughts into him.

Dick can’t place how long he was knelt there - his mind and body going back to the numb feeling of earlier. Slowly he lifted his head to look at Jason and notices that Jay isn’t wearing a mask his eyes are squeezed shut and he can see tremors running through Jason’s arms.

“H-hey, Little Wing,” It comes out weaker than Dick means too, but his throat hurts and there is a growing headache from crying.

Jason’s eyes slowly open and Dick can see that they’re red and watery from his own misery. “Dicky… I’m -”, his words are catching, Dick can see his throat bob with the effort to form words. “So sorry,” He breaks off again and sucks in a shuttering breath. “I couldn’t save her!” He chokes on the words and Dick can feel his chest tightening, his little brother is hurting and he has just lost Temperance.

Out of the corner of his eye Dick can see Bruce moving through the wreckage of drones on the floor. Turning his head to look around himself properly he can see that Steph and Damian have made it and are searching the surrounding area.

_Dammit_ , Dick starts to try to stand up. Not surprised by Jason’s added weight and pulling him up too. “We have to help out Hood,” He squeezes Jay’s shoulders as he pushes away, “I don’t blame you Jay, there is nothing,” He cuts off as he feels his eyes start to sting. “Nothing,” he says in a stronger voice, making sure to keep eye contact with Jason, “nothing we could of done. It was her decision and there wasn’t enough time…” Dick can feel the burning trail of tears running down his face. “There was no  _time_  to stop it and we have to do what we can now Little Wing, to help out.”

Jason’s nodding and Dick can tell he wants to do anything else, wants to run away and grive, but Dick knows that they need all the help they can get right now. Dick feels guilty for a lot right now but he has to push it to the side. If there is even the slight chance that they can find something to help, he has to do it.

They pull away from each other and Dick makes his way slowly over to the wreckage of bots. There is no sign of Temperance at the centre of the mess. Nothing to indicate that she was even there other than the bow staff. He can hear someone tapping away on the computer, but he is in a daze as he stares at the staff, he slowly reaches down and grabs it from the floor. He twirls it as he lifts it up. He suddenly grips the centre of the staff and puts all the strength he has into it, gritting his teeth against the waves of emotion washing through him.

He hears a gasp from behind and Dick turns to see Steph looking up at the computer screen, they seem to have found the footage. Dick turns fully, seeing Bruce rewind the scene and stopping it where the drones enter. Dick feels an overwhelming sense of dread come over himself as he watches.

Temperance stands there in all her Red Robin glory, staring down the drones, no sense of fear in her at all he watches as she smirks and starts to take down the first wave of drones, but there are too many for her to keep up with. It’s quick and sudden but the drones all fire lasers directed towards Temperance and there is no time for her to get out of the way.

In an instant she’s gone, her bow staff clattering to the floor, nothing left of the moment, the drones turn and leave. From the side Dick hears gasps from the other vigilantes. It doesn’t quite help to think that with how quick it happened, it must've been relatively painless. All he keeps thinking about is that there is nothing left, they have no way of helping her, no way of putting her to rest, Temperance Drake was gone, and there was nothing he could do but stand and watch the footage over and over and wonder if she would forgive him for not being able to save her.  


	2. Anything else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life without Temperance...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry for any mistakes that are made in this! Spelling, grammar or other!  
> Thank you for reading!  
> Comments and Kudo's are appreciated! :)

It was a horrible thing to find out that they only had a handful of pictures of Temperance. Dick sadly thought about the numerous images they had of everyone else, Damian included, though he was the last to join recently. Granted that most of these images were taken by Temp herself.

Spread out before him, Dick has five pictures and a usb laid on his small coffee table. They were all candied pictures of her, at different ages. _God how could they not have more pictures?_

Dick feels himself leaning forward like he is trying to drink in every detail. These are ones that Alfred had took over the years and sent them to him in a tidy care package with leftovers for him to put into the freezer. It warmed him inside to think about Alfred, he wondered how he was doing, over the past few weeks Dick’s been cooped up in his apartment, trying his best not to think.

He reaches over and picks up the most recent picture of Temperance. He leans back into his sofa and drinks in all the detail he can. The picture is of Temperance sitting in the cave at the computer, holding a cup of coffee and blowing on it in one hand and tucking her long black hair behind her ear with the other. She looks so calm, warm _and alive_ , in this moment that it hurts.

Dick doesn’t know what to do with himself now. He is sat alone in his apartment in Bludhaven, looking at pictures of Temperance. The only other thing he has of her are feeds from the manor and batcave, of her meandering around or training.

He has to go back to work soon, or he’ll be let go from the force and he hasn’t been out as Nightwing in a while after benching himself for putting three small time criminals in hospital. He laughs at the thought, this is exactly why Temperance entered the night scene to begin with, to help Bruce when he was nearing the line he wouldn’t be able to come back from.

It’s nights like these where Dick feels jealousy curl in his stomach at how Bruce had Temperance to look after him in his darkest hours and how Dick wishes he had the same. As soon as it comes it washed away by the guilt that pours into Dick, making him curl up and pull his legs to his chest, moaning into the darkness of this apartment.

The pictures stare at Dick as if mocking him with the images of the past and showing how alive she was in these moments. He can no longer look at her smiles in the morning, feel her warmth through the much needed hugs, smell her comforting scent at night as he tries to forget the horrors of the night and never again can he hear the tinkle of her laughter at his jokes that even he knows are bad but never fail to get her looking at him like he just hung the moon for her.

Though it’s too late for Temperance to be immortalised into more pictures, Dick makes a promise to himself to take more of the family, whether they like it or not.

With a sigh Dick slouches back into his sofa and sets in for another night of solitude.

\--

Waking up, tied to a chair was not an unfamiliar sensation to Dick. However waking up up in a dining hall across from one Ra’s al Ghul.

It was strange to see Ra’s looking old and worn out. Usually when they saw him, he was fresh from the pit and ready to fight, but all Dick saw right now was an old man worn down by the world.

“Ah, Richard, good to see you’ve finally joined us.” It galls Dick that Ra’s calls him that, only five people call him that and the loves them dearly, not this monster, this _man_ who made Temperance and Bruce so uncomfortable.

“Well, I would of joined sooner, ya know, if you thought to let me know this was going to happen, rather than taking me during a patrol.” The false cheer in his voice hurts. Some days he damned this persona that he made, he might not be as fun as Nightwing as he was Dick Grayson, but someone had to be the light to the little bundle of darkness that was their family.

Since Temperance has been gone, it’s gotten harder to always be the guy that people expect to look on the bright side, always have a joke ready and smiles for everyone.

Ra’s smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Had I thought you’d come willingly, I would would’ve sent you an invite.” There is something off about this, well of course there is it’s Ra’s, but they never talked like this, like they just had dinner together on occasion, but Dick couldn’t think what he might be up to.

Dick eyes Ra’s, takes him in, sitting at the head of the table. “Can you please cut to the chase Ra’s,” Dick shifts in his chair, trying to make it so the ropes didn’t bite into him too much. “You obviously have something you want to say…” He trails off.

Now that Dick thinks about it, no one has heard about Ra’s for a couple of months, not since… Not since _Temperance_ , Dick thinks he understands now, why Ra’s looks they way he does, it must’ve hit him hard too. Dick winces inside at the thought of having anything in common with this man.

“Since Temperance’s untimely death I have been…” Dick feels sick as soon as he mentions Temperance. There is a pause as Ra’s searches for the right words. “Looking into a way that would bring her back to us.”

“There wasn’t a body--” Dick cuts himself off. He shouldn’t be helping.

“Oh, I know that Richard, if there was I feel as though my Grandson would’ve already brought it to me.” Dick feels his eyes widen at this. “As it is, I am already aware of the _circumstances_ around her death, I have given great effort to this, if it were that simple Temperance would be with me right now.” There is a smugness to his tone that has Dick’s stomach rolling.

Never since his moment, was Dick glad that there was nothing for them to bury.

“Then… What do you want from… me?” It always scared Dick the lengths the al Ghul’s went to produce and prolong life.

Ra’s steeples his fingers in front of himself. ‘ _Classic_ ’ thinks Dick, he wonders why bad guys do that before revealing their plans. Dick forces himself not to roll his eyes at the action.

“Well Richard, I was thinking that since there wasn’t a body to have, the pit is rendered useless this time.” Ra’s gets up from his seat and come around the table to stand behind Dick. “So I have to think of other methods, not favourable of course…” Dick feels a hand on his shoulder and feels a shiver run down his spine. “But their are other, _methods_ , in which we can,” Ra’s mulls on the word for a second, “ _replicate,_ the young detective…” His voice leads off, letting Dick connect the rest.

“You mean--” Dick swallows, “You mean to _clone Temperance?_ ” There is a shrill tone to his voice. How could Ra’s think of doing something like that?

“Of course Richard.” The steadiness of his voice makes Dick feel sick. “What else is to be done? I could of another way, but that would be an impure version of the lovely Detective”

He cannot stop himself from asking, “Impure?” What else could this mad man be thinking about?

Ra’s hands are on both of Dick’s shoulders now. He gives a slight squeeze as he leans down and talks directly next to his ear. “Well there is the method of conception,” Ra’s leans up and walks back to his seat. “Though the idea that her DNA would be mix with someone else’s would be _detestable._ “ Dick fists his hands as Ra’s takes his seat. “But understand I did think about using my own,” Bile rises in Dicks throat at the thought. “But, I would much rather take pleasure in her flesh at the same time, if I was to do it that way.” He squeezes his eyes shut at the image of them tangled in silk sheets Temperance’s face twisted in agony.

“But as you well know Detective, young Temperance is gone, so I must make means elsewhere.”

“You can’t!” Dick shouts, “I won’t let you do that!” He grits out, making a renewed effort to get out of the bindings.

“I cannot do it without you Richard…” Ra’s had steepled his fingers again, this time touching them to his lips. “Red Robin was smart and always made sure that any DNA spilled or left near me was taken way or removed. I had thought I’d outsmarted her a while back and had a small supply of her DNA should anything happen to her, though that has been taken.” Dick releases a breath, glad that Temperance always had contingencies and plans for this sort of thing. “So I need something from you.”

Dick pauses his struggling and looks Ra’s in the eye confused as to what he could be alluding to. “Me?”

“Why yes, I need you to get something for me,” The look of hunger in Ra’s as he addresses him makes Dick lean away, despite the distance between them. “I understand that Wayne has all of his Robin’s DNA on record and filed away. I need you to collect some of Temperance’s for me, enough for there to be three attempts at the cloning process, should there be a problem.”

Dick sits with his mouth slightly open, he keeps trying but no words leave his mouth. Ra’s unblinking stare makes him want to shrink away.

“No.” Dick feels proud of himself for finally getting something out there. However Ra’s levels a glare at Dick, his distaste clear.

“No? Detective, surely you jest.” Watching as Ra’s grips the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. “Do you not want Temperance around again?”

“Don’t make _this_ about _that_ , _of course_ I want her back, _but not like this!_ Do not twist my feelings for her! I’m not like you!” Dick lets out a harsh breath, his teeth aching from gritting to hard.

“Richard, surely you --” The rest of his sentence is lost to the loud smash of glass from behind him, Dick swivels his head as much as he can to see what was going on. Jason rises from his landing dusting the shards of glass off his jacket.

“Sorry ’m late fellas,” Jason’s grin is easy to hear in his tone. “But the main event has arrived.” He pulls out his guns, cocking off the safety and leveling them on Ra’s.

“Ah, it seems as though our time is up Richard, just keep in mind what I’ve told you.” Ra’s pushes his chair back and and turns around making his way over to the large double doors, his robes billowing as he walks. Jason doesn’t lower his guns until the door closes behind Ra’s.

Jason puts his guns away as he make his way towards Dick. “Rude,” He huffs, “Didn’t even offa me a drink.” Dick smiles up at him. Happy to see his brother. Jason crouches behind him, pulling out a knife and cutting through the restraints. Dick groans at the relieved pressure, blood rushing back into his arms and Dick knows that any minute now he is going to have a numbing pins and needles sensation in his arms.

“There ya go Dicky, let’s get you outta here.” Jason grips Dick’s upper arm and pulls him out of the chair.

“Thanks Little Wing.”

“Come on, Demon Spawn is waitin’ in tha jet, he ent gonna be happy if we take much longer.” Dick follows Jason as he moves towards the window and sees the ropes dangling from the jet. Dick grins as he gets on the ledge of window, preparing to make the jump.

“See you in bit Wingding.” Jason is leaping and grabbing the rope before Dick can retort. He huffs out a laugh grinning as he leaps from the ledge.

\--

The last two weeks have been gruelling. Dick is currently back in Gotham, looking forward to seeing the family and spending some good quality time with Damian. Work has been a nightmare, cases piling up faster than he can solve them, struggling under the stress.

It never ended, due to the fact that at night he went out as Nightwing, hoping to help out and keep people safe, though though that never seemed to be enough, there were always more cases being filed in the morning.

Sitting in front of the computer in Bruce’s chair he reclined back and stared at all the evidence and information compiling, he hoped that this would come up with something to help out, but he would have to wait on that. Currently in yoga bottoms and long tank Dick can feel the cold of the cave setting in. Getting up from the chair he went over to the gym equipment.

He dusts up his hands before jumping to grab the trapeze bar. Dick will be forever grateful that Bruce bought all this stuff for him and them kept it all in working order. This was one of his favorite things about coming back.

Doing a slow warm up routine, Dick slowly empties his mind, concentrating on the movements. There was something else that Dick liked about this, it always brought memories of a young Temperance. She would look up at him in awe as she watched him do tricks, trying to impress her.

Though he would always regret being a bad brother to Jason when he was Robin, there was nothing he was more grateful for than trying to make up for that by showering Temperance with attention trying to make up for it.

He remembers her face, when he told her he was going to train her. The way her face lit up and eyes shone with amazement at having the chance. He can see it now, the love she held for him, the belief that he was everything good and kind in the world. He will regret that it took him so long to figure it out and then ask her out. But there was nothing he could do.

Temperance would train morning till evening, trying to get her flips just right. Training till she was red in the face and panting. Trying so hard to hold onto her place with them. Never believing that she would be as good as Jason and himself.

Dick let out a slow breath, his mind calm as he moves. Though Dick hated to think about it, he couldn’t stop thinking over his meeting with Ra’s and about what he said.

It was getting harder some days, to ally himself with Ra’s thinking. Desperate for her steadying touch and gentle words reassuring him. But he knows it wouldn’t be her, it would look and talk like her, but it would have none of her worldly experience that makes her Temperance.

He had to let Bruce know what Ra’s wanted with him, make sure that all of her DNA was destroyed. He couldn’t have the temptation. Bruce had, at first, resisted the notion but came around after hearing about Ra’s other insinuation that conception was a option, though they loved Damian dearly, they didn’t want to happen again.

There was nothing more warming than talking to other people about antics at Temperance got up to. He loved hearing about her in different situations that he never got to see. It’s the closest he can get to being with her anymore than watching footage of her from security cameras.

Dick repeated a swing a couple of times before flipping off the bar and landing on the mats and takes a quick breath.

“Grayson.”

Dick turns sharply towards the stairs to see Damian descending the steps. Dick makes his way over to him and ruffles his hair. Damian ducks away and makes his way to the sparring mats giving Dick a pointed look.

“Hey Dami, how was school?” Dick moves to join him. Smiling as he watches Damian's face scrunch up.

Damian shifts into his stance and waits for Dick, “Tt, tedious. As always Grayson.” They start to circle each other. “Being taught subjects I have already mastered by inferior minds.” Dick laughs, grinning at his smart little brother. No matter how hard he’s tried to get Damian to think of his teachers in a positive light, it always fails, though he is glad Damian has stopped telling the teachers what he thinks about them to their face and comes home to vent about them.

They go through the motions of a usual spar dodging and weaving each others attacks. “Well I’m sure you must be passing all your essays and tests with flying colours.” Dick says, smiling down at the younger man.

Surprised by the colour rising on Damian’s face, Dick isn’t prepared for the jab to his left side. Damian seems just as shocked that he got the hit in that he stops.

Coughing and lightly clutching his side he tries to catch Damian’s eye. “Hey little D, you ok?” he hears a quiet tut come from him and watches as he crosses his arms, his body language screaming defiance.

“Nothing Grayson.”

“Hey now, you can talk to me, what’s wrong?” Dick grabs Damian’s shoulders, trying to send comfort to the younger man.

“The tests are fine Richard, the essays though…” He trails off, his mouth forming a frown and eyebrows scrunching up. “Drake --” He cuts off quickly looking Dick in the eye before looking away.

“Come on Dami, you can tell me.”

“She helped me,” He rushed out the sentence as though he was going to be reprimanded for having been helped. “She would look through my essays before I submitted them.” Dick’s heart warmed at the thought of Temperance helping Damian with his work.

Dick nodded, encouraging Damian to carry on. “Some of what I write is not deemed _appropriate_ by the faculty. When Drake found out, she said she would proofread my work. Since she--” There’s a pause as he works his jaw, “Since she has been gone, I have had no one to do it and again they have the same problem.”

Dick winces, he feels sorry for the kid. It’s hard for him to get ideas across in ways that people in life deem ok.

“I can he--” Dick is cut off by Damian’s raised, he can see his gaze burning.

“Don’t be stupid Richard, though I appreciate the offer, I know you are too busy to be given this task, I won’t ask Father either, since he has become sole owner of Wayne Ind. again.”

Dick runs this through his head again, he has to admit that Damian’s right. He doesn’t have the time and neither does Bruce. But there was someone he could think of.

“Have you thought of asking Jason?”

Now Damian is giving him a look, as though he is worried that Dick is going insane.

“He’s a literature buff, I’m sure that he wouldn’t mind helping you out!” Dick giddily bounces on the spot thinking about it.

“I’m sure Todd would rather do anything else.” Dick can see that Damian is trying not to get his hopes up about it.

“No, no, I’m sure that he’ll do it!” Damian begrudgingly nods is accent to Dick’s idea.

“It is on your head if this all goes south Grayson.” Damian makes his way to the stairs, leaving Dick on the mats.

“Sure thing!” He calls after him, he flops down onto the mats and spreads out his arms and legs, grinning to himself. Today feels like a good day.


	3. A Bat by Any Other Name

Waking up with concussion was not on Temperance’s list of things to do today. Waking up, face to floor, in some creepy cell wasn’t either. Groaning as she moved to sit up, hand to her forehead to try and lessen the pain there.

Looking around all Temperance could make out was a wall length glass door, but that only lead to darkness, not able to make out anything else on the other side. There was nothing in the cell either.

She felt a sudden sense of relief when she noticed that she was still wearing her gear, checking the pouches to make sure everything was still there. Her mind began running through what had happened.

_‘Drones’_ , quickly she started to pat herself down, checking for injuries, just a few contusions and cuts, nothing that was too _concerning._ Dragging herself up off the floor, she slowly made her way over to pane of glass, using a batarang Temperance throws it, testing for traps on the window.

Temperance frowns as it hits and just falls to the floor, _nothing, not even a scratch._ Wondering closer to it she puts her hand against the glass. Looking into the darkness she can make out what could be doors to other cells. “Hello!” Temperance bangs on the glass, “Is anyone there?!”

No one answers, not that she expected anyone to, sighing she moves to the furthest wall, puts her back to it and slowly sinks down to the floor.

‘ _They’ll come for me.’_

 

\--

 

“Miss Drake,” Temperance stares at the darkened figure before her, hands to the glass as she snarls.  “What a pleasure to have you join us.” There is barely anything about him that Temperance can make out. The light from the entrance that he came through making it impossible to see details, her eyes not completely used to it.

“Why?” She bangs a fist against the window, “ _Why am I here_?” Her eyes are trained on him as he stands there. “The missiles were primed. I -- I can remember them hitting me,” she gestures to herself, “Am I.. Am I dead?”

“To those that _loved_ you, yes you certainly are.”

“Oh,” Temperance staggers back from the window. She logically knew that she couldn’t be dead, but after sitting in this cell, in the dark and alone with her own thoughts for the past few days according to her wrist computer. “Tell me where I am.”

“You were _re-connecting_ threads that could not be re-connected. You’re so _loved_ , so deeply _intertwined_ . It became crucial that we take you off the field.” Temperance feels a shiver go down her back as he talks, “And _that’s_ where you are, Temperance. Off the field.”

Before she can ask anything else he sweeps out of the room, the door closed taking with it the light and once again Temperance was swallowed into the darkness.

 

\--

 

Temperance sat in her cell, gear and tools surrounding her as she tinkered with her gadgets, to her left, her gauntlett is sat projecting an image slideshow, going through images she kept on their.

She found out quickly that she didn’t need any of the usual amenities, something about this cell made them unnecessary, not that she was going to complain, the thought of going to the toilet or _showering_ in this glass case made her skin crawl.

Temperance’s sense of time was off - It was always dark and the only thing keeping her ton track was her mini computer.

The slide changing caught her eye, looking over she sees that it’s a picture of   
Dick and Damian cuddled up on the sofa. Temperance remembers taking this, catching them just after she finished patrol, it was their night off and Dick wanted a movie night with Damian.

Something about this makes feels like she is torturing herself with ghosts she cannot talk to. Though the little bit of joy that she gets out of it is worth it, reminding herself that she needs to keep going and find a way back, it’s not like she could leave Dick alone forever.

She tried not to think about him too much, the thought that he was alone and thought she was dead. There was no way that they thought she could of survived that fight. She hoped they at least tried. The thought that they wouldn’t even try for her, after all the effort that she put in for looking for Bruce.  

Scrunching her eyes shut she took a steadying breath. There was no point in dwelling on it, she was going to get herself out of this mess. The plan was going to work, it had to… ‘ _We’ll all be together again.’_

 

\--

 

Temperance was out and running, she had to get away from here. Mr. Oz was planning something and she wasn’t about to let that happen.

It has been a month since she had been captured. She had to make it back to Gotham. Something was going to happen, she just didn’t quite know what.

_She was going home…_

 

\--

 

Alfred wasn’t sure what to make of this vigilante in front of him. There was something familiar about her cadence of her voice was familiar, but the suit was something he had never seen before.

Alfred reaches for a pair of sheers as the masked intruder moves. He relaxes slightly when he notes that she is going to remove her cowl. When it reveals a face beneath he thought he would not see again Alfred drops the sheers and brings his hands to his mouth.

“Hey Alfred, it’s me. It’s Temperance.” There is a sweet smile on her aged face.

“Oh, my child,” He can feel his eyes start to sting, “My dear child. What has _happened_ to you?”

She rushes he and envelopes him into a tight hold, one that speaks of loneliness and loss. She squeezes his old bones and Alfred cannot stop himself from hugging her back. His sweet Temperance is here.

“Your… Temp is ok. She’s with Bruce. I’m from a few decades _further_ down the road.” Alfred listens to her sweet tone. He cannot help but feel lighter in knowing that Temperance will surely live into the future and though he has no proof, there is something about this woman in front of him that makes him feel as though she would never lie to him.

Looking up at her, he now notices the nuances of the suit that she is wearing. The pointy eared cowl, the long black cape and yellow utility belt. There is something decidedly Batman about it. Alfred cannot help but pity her.

“I...I never thought it would be you. I never thought that _you_ would have to bear the weight of the _cowl._ ” He heart hurts for her. He knew that out of all of Batman’s proteges she was the closest in personality, but he knew she never wanted it. The fact that it has fell to her nonetheless is saddening.

A sad smile crosses her face as she goes to pull the cowl back on, “Me neither Alfred. Me neither.”

He watches as she turns to look outside the greenhouse. She speaks again her voice hesitant. “I...I needed to ask you something.”

He can see her fists clenching a sign that she’s nervous, “Yes?”

Her mouth is twisted, as though it hurts to get the words out. “If there were something I could do… something that would _free_ me from ever having to become _this_ … something terrible. _Really terrible._ ” Alfred watches as she turns her head towards him, “Should I do it?”

Alfred reaches for her, “Miss Temperance… What are you going to do?” His voice trembles, he wants to help her, but he feels that even though she is asking, there is nothing he can do.

“I think I can answer that for you!” The sudden shout makes them both turn to see Dick, Jason and Damian at the ready standing behind them.

 

\--

 

Getting the call and lowdown from Bruce to make it back to the manor as soon as possible made him feel on edge. Alfred was alone and in possible danger. There was immeasurable joy when B mentioned that Temperance was alive.

The downer though is that an older Temperance was running around with a vendetta. The idea of it was laughable, Temperance, _the bad guy?_ Unthinkable. But as he sits perched on the roof of greenhouse with Jason and Damian, he cannot take his eyes of the figure in the batsuit talking with Alfred.

Some of the tension leaves him, this Temperance would never hurt Alfred, you could read in her body language that there was no danger for the moment, he kept a hand on his escrima sticks, just in case.

It hurts him deep to find out that the mantle fell into her hands. _‘Why? Why didn’t I take it up again? Jason even? What about Damian?’_

Jason place a hand on his shoulder and gives it a quick squeeze. “Come on ‘Wing, you gotta concentrate,” Jason whispers to him, “We can’t go easy on ‘er just cuz she’s Tempie from the future.”

Giving him a nod, Dick prepares to jump, “Go.” He says before just silently jumps and lands behind Temperance.

As the others land Dick listens to the conversation between Alfred and Temp. “If there were something I could do… something that would _free_ me from ever having to become _this_ … something terrible. _Really terrible._ ” Dick has to force himself not to move or bring attention to them, “Should I do it?”

“Miss Temperance… What are you going to do?” Part of Dick wanted to wait and hear her reply, see what it was that she had planned, but that was interrupted but a shout from his left.

“I think I can answer that for you!” Jason’s sudden interruption brings everyone's attention to them.

Dick felt as though he should join in, the banter slips from his tongue like silk, “She’s going to go back to _when_ she belongs.” There was nothing else they could do.

Damian ends their entrance with his own quip, “And _we’re_ here to make sure she doesn’t get _lost_ along the way.” Dick feels proud that Damian didn’t threaten to maim or cause her injury.

Dick can see the sadness about Temperance’s mouth as she looks at them, can feel her eyes linger as she assess him. She cocks her hip and place’s a hand on it, and there is a slow smile forming as she takes them all in.

“Hey guys,” Her voice has become like smooth honey, rather than the sweet sugar that he remembers. “Hey Dick,” There’s something sharp in her tone as she says his name. “It’s been a while.”

_‘A while?’_ Dick gives a tiny nod and stays silent.

She tilts her head and continues on, “You’re all so _young_ ,” Her tone sinister as she utters her next words, “And so _stupid._ ”

Dick watches as she reaches into her utility belt and pulls out her collapsed bow staff. “I used to be so afraid of _measuring up_ to each of you,” She flicks it out to it’s full length, “You were always stronger than me… each in different ways,” Dick feels is heart sink further the more he hears, “But you never measured up where it _counts_. I’ve been fighting training programs based on each of you in your prime for nearly fifteen years.” She swings the bow with a practiced ease, readying her stance and Dick lowers into his, knowing that the other two will follow his lead. “You lost the battle the second you decided to engage me.”

Dick see’s her turn towards Alfred and hears Jason cock his guns. Tension is running high and if she even moves _slightly_ in the wrong way towards Alfred there will be hell to pay. Just as they are about to launch they hear her talk, “Alfred. Now would be a good time to run.” She cracks her neck as she turns her attention back to them. “I need to work out a few chips on my shoulder.”

Dick would grin if this wasn’t such a grim situation, he was going to have to fight Tempie, this is the first time he has seen her since her _death_ , even though he knows it’s not _his_ Temperance, it’s still hard to think about hurting her, but he knows it’s got to be done.

Without warning she is running and jumping at them, her bow is a blur of motion as she swings it at them aiming for weaknesses in their suits and deflecting hits. Her movements are sharper and more controlled than ever.

He see’s Jason unload a clip on Temperance - though nothing its her directly, since she already swished her cape up to deflect them, rebrounding them around the green house making it so they have to dodge them.

Damian thinking her distracted moves silently behind her, only to be swept off his feet by her staff. She leaps just out of range before charging back in. This time she is savage in her blows upon them.

Dick only knows she has attacked him after the pain has blossomed in his side and he goes down quick from the unexpected pain. Jason's helmet is her next casualty, as she’s about to go for a crippling blow on Jay they floor gives out below them.

Dick is not prepared for this and lands with a smack on the cave floor, Jason and Damian doing the same. It’s unfair to watch as Temperance floats into her landing, cape billowing behind her.

Dick see’s Alfred rush over to help him and as he is about to give his thanks all words are caught in his throat as he sees Temperance, _his Temperance,_ stand before him and berate her future self, a lot of what is said between them is lost on Dick.

Though Dick knew she was back, seeing it was different. She was was breathing, talking and _living_ in the same space that he was. All outside drama muffled by the utter relief running through him.

He cannot help but stare at this utterly perfect being in front of him. _She was here!_ Dick knew he should be paying attention to the evil Batman Temperance, but he couldn’t and there was enough people here to make up for his lapse in attention to the ongoing fight, since Temperance has literally just walked back into his life!

Dick suddenly zones back in on what's going on around him when he sees everyone turn towards the Batcomputer. Temperance’s future self has perched on the console. He look’s to his side and sees Jason lean towards B, “Bruce, what the hell did you start building?”

Batlady has a smug look on her face as she says, “Here, let me show you. _Activate_.”

Dick takes a step back as the screens behind her all turn red and a computerised voice follows, “Brother Eye is now online.”

_‘What the heck is happening.’_

 

\--

 

The day after they sent her future self back to her time Temperance set herself up in her nest at the old Gotham theater. Catching up on what had happened since she had been gone. There was the usual villains in and out of Arkham, a few gangs trying to rise up in her turf only to be snuffed out by Hood.

From what she could tell the only thing that looked truly out of the ordinary was Ra’s kidnapping Dick, she would have to ask him about that later, if Ra’s didn’t come to _see_ her first.

During the whole thing with her evil self Dick hadn’t said a single thing to her, not that there was a good point to sit and have a chat, she thought that he would at least try. Jason made sure to give her a hug when he could, even Damian in his own special way let her know he was happy that she was alive.

With a sigh Temperance set about doing some more digging into the cases that she left behind, there was no point going around in circles thinking about Dick, she would find him tomorrow and ask what was going on.

It was nice to see that they had most of what she left behind tied up - but there were stragglers that had yet to be solved giving Temperance  something to concentrate on for the night.

Hours later Temperance pushed away from her computer, stretching she turned to look out the window, _‘Huh, what time is it?’_ Checking her phone she saw that it was much later than she originally thought. 04:00 blared up at her. _‘Damn’_ , not in the mood to go to bed just yet, Temperance made her way to the living room.

Switching on the TV and picking up her tablet she then made her way over to the couch. Flicking through various articles on twitter to see what was going on in the social scene in Gotham.

Temperance always found it fun when she saw one of the Wayne boys in an article, usually blowing out of proportion what was actually happening. A story posted about Damian came to mind, making her giggle as she scrolled through. Suddenly all her good humour vanished as she started down at a picture taken of Dick and some woman at a Cafe, in a _nicer_ part of Gotham.

She didn’t want to look anymore, quickly turning off her tablet she flung it to the other end of the sofa. Turning her attention to the TV she grabbed the remote and put it straight the the movie channel, hoping that would distract her.

Her stomach was churning, thinking about Dick’s happy grin and sweet eyes as he gazed at the woman in the photo. How could she of been so foolish not to think of this? Dick was attractive and fun, of course there were going to be other women lining up to be with him now that she was gone.

She couldn’t expect him to morn her forever _‘I thought it would be more than a month though!’_ Temperance could feel her eyes growing hot as she thought about it. Pulling the blanket from off the back of the couch Temperance snuggles into it.

Staring at the screen she furiously rubbed at her eyes daming the tears as they fell. All she wanted now was a tub of ice-cream and some chick flicks.

_‘It makes sense,’_ she thought to herself, _‘this is probably why he has hasn’t come to talk to me.’_

Sniffling she settled in, bringing her knees up to wrap her around, laying her chin on her knees she gives all her attention to the movie. She must of drifted off, since the next thing she knows is there’s a draft coming from the window and someone climbing through it.

“Hello?” She calls out, no energy left to lift herself to see over the sofa.

She hears the window click shut before she gets a reply, “Hey Tempy...” His voice is low and rough, it’s the first time she has heard him say her name since she came back. Her name sounds good coming from him, _It always has._

_‘No,’_ Temperance thinks, trying to sink further into the cushions. Hoping that he doesn’t know where she is, _‘It can’t be.’_

Before she can do anything Dick is rounding the sofa and looking down at her. He’s still in his full Nightwing gear, _‘Must of just finished his patrol.’_ He looks _good_ , standing there in the dark bathed in the blue light coming from the TV.

All words are caught in her throat as she stares up at him. Her mouth moving silently trying to force herself to say _something_ , to him.

“Sorry Tee,” He whispers, quickly kneeling at her side, he brings up a hand to brush a stray lock of hair from her face, “Didn’t mean to wake you.” His smile is sweet, it takes all of Temperance’s will not to lean into the touch.

“Why--” Her voice is scratchy from sleep, “Why are you here?” She asks, trying to keep her voice as even as possible.

“Oh, uh, ya know, passing through,” He grins at his own joke, but quickly sobers as he carries on, “I just… I needed to make sure you were _here_ , ya know?” His voice slightly trembles at the end.

She brings her hand up to grab his and gives it a tight squeeze, “I’m here Dicky,” raising her other hand she reaches for his domino needing to see his eyes, she pulls at the side lightly and slowly pulls the mask away. Her breathing stops for just a moment on seeing his vibrant blue eyes. “I’m here.”

“I know, it just feels too good to be true,” Pulling their joint hands to his mouth he places a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “ _God_ , it’s only been a month, but it feels like years since the last time I saw you…”

“It’s ok, but I’m here now and that’s _all_ that matters, right?” She tugs her hand back quickly and moves to sit up, so allow Dick to take the seat next to her on the couch.

“Yeah,” Dick takes the seat and shuffles close to her, like he doesn’t want there to be any distance between them, “Yeah, you’re right, you’re _always_ right.” The settle into a silence that makes Temperance a little uncomfortable.

Hoping to get rid of the quiet she turns to Dick, “Well, I don’t mean to sound rude but... “ Temperance tucks her hair behind her ear, nervous to about what she is about to ask.  “Are you staying?”

“‘Course I am!” Is his instant reply, she frowns slightly, “I thought I’d crash on the couch, but you seem to be occupying it.” She watches as his eyes crinkle and his smile brightens at his dig.

“I was watching a film when I fell asleep, let me just get up and--”

Quickly raising his hands in surrender he replies, “No no, I wanna talk to you some more,” He leans more into her space and puts his arm along the back of the couch, boxing her in, “If thats ok with you?”

“Oh, um…” The smell of Dick’s cologne is overwhelming with him so close she forgot how much she loved his sent, leather, sweat and something sweet. There was something comforting about it that she’d never understand, “Sure.”

“Great. Let me go get changed,” Hopping off the sofa, he made his way to her bedroom. As he got to room he quickly called back to her, “I’ll be right back.”

With him gone she quickly puts away the blanket and turns off the TV, with the room now completely dark she calls out, “Light’s 60%.” Just as she is about to sit back down Dick comes bounding out of her room.

“Hey I was just going to make some coff--” Suddenly all his movements stop as he stares at her, his eyes suddenly serious. “Temp, have you been crying?”

“No!” Temperance rubs at her eyes,“No, just… _allergies_?” She might as well try.

She watches as Dick just shakes her, slowly making his way back over to her, “Temp, come on, I know what it looks like when you’ve been crying.”

“I,” How did she explain that she cried because she couldn’t stand the thought that he’d moved on? “Just thinking about some stuff, that’s all, no biggie, I’m over it now.” She tries to brush it off, but she can can tell that he doesn’t believe her.

“Temperance.”

This time she shakes her head and holds up a hand to stop him from coming closer, “Just leave it Dick…”

He reaches out but doesn’t move any more towards her, “I can’t, you’ve only just got back, what happened?”

“Nothing I--” She didn’t have time to stop herself before she looked at the tablet and Dick’s eyes followed hers.

“Is it something on the tablet?”

Quickly looking back at Dick she shouts, “No!” Silently she curses herself ‘ _smooth, he wasn’t going to think anything was wrong now.’_ She moves to grab the tablet but Dicks quicker.

“Ah ha!” He lifts it up and turns it on, his face suddenly sours and he turns the tablet screen towards her, “Unlock it Tee.”

“No, it’s stupid, it doesn’t mean anything.” She pushes the tablet away.

He huffs at her putting the tablet down and take a step towards her, “It obviously does, to make you this upset…”

“I’m not, not anymore,” She turns her head to look away from him, “It’s silly.”

“Just, show me,” He takes another step towards her as she takes one back, “I want to help you…”

The back of her legs hit the coffee table as she tries to move away, “I don’t need help, I just need time.” Time to herself, time to grieve. _Just time!_

She turns to leave when she hears him speak, “Time for what?”

The sincerity in his tone hurt to hear, like he doesn’t _know_ what he’s doing to her, _pretending_ like everything is normal. “To get used to you having a girlfriend!”

She feels a sense of satisfaction at seeing Dick take a step back away from her, “I get that it’s been a month, but do you need to get used to being around me again?”

‘ _Is he playing dumb? Does he think he can get away with playing the idiot?’_ Frustration builds up in her veins, “Not me.”

“Not you?” His face is honest in its confusion and it starts to make Temperance doubt herself, “Who are you talking about?”

Temperance walks away towards the kitchen and says her next words without looking back at him, “That girl you took to the cafe?”

“Cafe? Tempy, I have no idea what you’re talking abou--” Temperance feels her heart stop for a second, ‘ _So there was anot--_ ’, before she can finish the thought, Dick interrupts her. “Oh, oh Tempy, no, this isn’t what you think it is,” His voice is thick with desperation, “This was for a case.”

Temperance turns to look at Dick over her shoulder, “Case?”

“Yeah, I had to get close to some mob boss’s daughter,” She watches as Dick waves his hands as though trying to explain through gesture, “I was her type, so it was just, you know, the best plan at the time.”

“ _Case…_ ” That made sense, why didn’t she think of that? “Sorry I just, I saw it and jumped to conclusions, sorry…” Temperance continues to move towards the kitchen, going to make coffee.

Dick is following not too far behind her now, “It’s ok, Temp, I know it’s been hard for you, it couldn’t of been easy to see that…”

“I just, you haven’t spoken to me since I got back and,” She takes a breath as she reaches for the coffee, “And in my head it just made sense that you might of moved on, ya know?” She had to talk about it - the stress of knowing what was going to happen building up more and more as she talks to Dick, “You thought I was dead and… and with the things that my future self was telling me about, it all just mounted up together…”

Dick is quickly closing the gap between them and puts his hands on her arms, rubbing them soothingly, he turns her to face him once she has the coffee going, “Wait hold on, what did _she_ tell you?”

“About the future and what happens to everyone…” She swallows around the lump in her throat, “Why I take up the cowl…” She stops herself before she says more. ‘ _How fucked up the future is._ ’

“Do I die?”

She shakes her head, “No, nothing like that, rather the opposite…”

Dick tilts his head in confusion, “The opposite?”

“Well, you live in Bludhaven with your family…” It sucks to know that he eventually moves on and finds someone else, but she cannot think of someone else who deserves that more.

“What family?” Dick stands their completely dumb, not at all following the conversation.

“I don’t know all the details but, she said that you took up the mantel after Bruce, but you got,” Temperance waffles her hand back and forth, “I don’t know, fed up with it?” She shrugs her shoulders in an effort to look indifferent about her next words. “And moved away with your family, which obviously wasn’t me, since I was the one who took it up.”

“Without you.” Dick cannot comprehend that, a future without Temperance, “There’s no way…”

“Dick, I don’t know what you want me to say. She told me about all of you guys and _none_ of it was good!” Temperance’s tone is near hysterical, “She said there was nothing that can be done about it!”

Gripping her more forcefully, he shakes her a little, “Calm down Temp!”

“Calm down?” She tries to move away, but his hold on her is firm, “What's there to be calm about? You’re going to leave me, I’m going to become some gun crazy batman,”

Dick tries to interrupt her, “Now wait a --”

She surges on, if she stopped now, she might not get to say it, “Jason gets totally fucked up and Damian is back with the league!” Stops to catch her breath for a second, “There’s no way I can be calm.”

“Look I know this is tough on you,” Dick quickly dips to press a kiss to Temperance’s forehead, “I know she told you some things about the future, but you know more than anyone that the future isn’t set in stone. We’ll get through this, I promise.”

Temperance couldn’t see how Dick could be so _positive_ in this situation. “I...I don’t know what to do Dick,” Her thoughts are suddenly filled with premonitions of her running through Gotham and putting criminals _down,_ “I cannot become _that_!”

“I know and I’ll help, we’ll get Jason and Damian to help. You have to come to the cave and tell us everything you know, so we can best prevent it. But know this Tee, I love you and nothing is going to change that.” She lets Dick’s voice lull her as she listens to him describe how they are going to deal with everything and even though it won’t stop nagging at her she feels herself relaxing.

Sighing as she leans into Dick’s chest, she stays there for a moment before whispering back, “I love you too.”

His arms go around her, embracing her making Temperance feel the warmest and safest she has in a while, “Now come on, it’s been a long night and I would like to go to bed and snuggle with you and tomorrow we can deal with this.” Temperance can feel Dick’s voice rumble in his chest as he speaks.

She doesn’t want to move right now, “But I --”

“Nope,” Dick pops the p, stopping Temperance from talking, while still hugging he starts to waddle them towards the bedroom, “Tomorrow Temperance, just rest for now, I’ve missed you…”

Resigned to her fate she follows along with little stumbles here are there caused by the awkward position they are in, “I missed you too Dicky.”

That night she slept the best she had in a month.


End file.
